§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why health authorities
744WScotland, Wales and England and each English region in each year from 1970 to 1975; and if she will express these figures per 1,000 population in each area.
§ Mr. MeacherFigures for 1975 are not yet available, nor are statistics kept of the numbers of people receiving retirement or old person's pensions in particular regions of England. The remainder of the information requested is as follows—the component figures do not in all cases add up to the Great Britain totals because of the effect of rounding:
are not empowered to make a charge to enable a patient requiring a heartpacer who is offered a machine with mercury cell batteries to obtain a more expensive machine with lithium iodide batteries giving a long period between surgery for replacement.
§ Dr. OwenTo introduce such charges would require legislation and would be contrary to the principle that hospital inpatient treatment under the National Health Service should be free.